Egotistic Bastard
by Tainted Rhapsody
Summary: Ichigo starts work at a new company, only to be assigned to the president...who he had shouted and sworn at the other day. The fact that he's an arrogant demon with an insanely hot body doesn't help, either... GrimmIchi Yaoi Lemons
1. Chapter 1: Blue

**I'm sorry for anybody who is a reader of my other fic, 'Bound', but I just _had _to write this one first! It's been stuck in my head for a while now, and I really, really, really needed to write a GrimmIchi. AiIchi is good, but nowhere near as awesome as Grimmy and Ichi paired together~ ^.^**

**Anyway, I feel like I've done quite well with this one; obviously, for anyone who knows me vaguely as an author, you will know that this will have mountains and mountains of Lemon. XD **

**On a side note, I felt that it was sort of disjointed when I re-read it. COuld you tell me if it doesn't seem to flow quite right. It went a little too fast near the end for my taste; but I'm not really sure, becasue you tend to need others to read your work for that.^_^**

**So, review please, and loads of constructive critiscism!**

**I do not own Bleach; My cartoon drawing skills are so bad that if I did, I'd probrably make Ichi and Grimm look like demented globs of flesh, and that is _definitely_ not sexy.**

"_Kurosaki!"_

The gruff voice cut through the air, seemingly pelting said red-head with its insanely loud decibels. The male closed his eyes, mouth tightening into a slim line.

_Breathe, Ichigo. Breathe._

"Kurosaki! Did you hear me, dammit?"

_Calm down, don't get pissed, don't, don't… _His fists curled into fists on his knees, shaking with suppressed anger.

The voice was right next to his ear now. Hot-dog breath fanned onto Ichigo's face, spit spraying onto his skin. Who knew you could feel greasy when someone _breathed_ on you? "I don't pay you to sit there and ignore me, y'know! Remember? You lousy good for nothing-,"

The next words were cut off abruptly as a fist flew towards the fat man's face, colliding with his nose with a sickening crack. The red-head was on his feet, the stool he had been seated on before rolling on the floor. "SHUT UP, you goddamn fatso!"

The other male topple to the ground, landing on his large ass, hand automatically going up to clutch his throbbing nose as he cried out in pain. "Argh!"

Ichigo stumbled slightly, eyes going wide. _Did he just…_

"_Ku. Ro. Sa. Ki_."

_Oh, shit._

~( ^_^ )~

A blue pen hovered over the grey paper of the Daily News, the tanned hand gripping it pulling the utensil over the various black and white advertisements.

**Paperboy wanted! Hours from 5am to 12pm, wages $10 p/hour.**_...__5 fucking am__? No thanks._

**Burger King. 4 Hour Weekend Part-time Waiter Needed. $17 p/hour, no prior experience needed. **_Hrm…four hours isn't enough._

**Maid Mania! Wages are**_…no. Just…no._

"Argh!" Ichigo ran frustrated fingers through his tangerine hair. Why was it so damn hard to find a job? It was like this every time.

…_every time, huh?_

The male sighed, frustration ebbing out as he sank boneless back into his chair. Things had not gone down well with the 'giant hippo', as Ichigo had so endearingly nicknamed. Well, most people didn't take very well to having their noses dislocated.

_How many times had it been already? _

At every job, he always seemed to get the most disgusting of bosses. Every one of them, cruel, cheapskates, tight-asses or worst of all; _perved_.

Damn, he could never keep his fiery temper in check with _any_ of his employers. Was it so goddamn hard just to find a boss he got along with? Seriously.

Ah well, nothing he could do but keep looking. After all, he needed to pay his rent.

Honey-brown eyes drifted tiredly over the page once more, before a colourful advertisement, printed in bold letters, captured the red-head's attention.

**GENERAL ASSISTANT NEEDED: NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE REQUIRED. **jumped out at him,followed by a **Please Contact XXXX-XXXX For Details.**

Ichigo's head tilted to the side, his mind contemplating the prospect. 'No prior experience' sounded pretty damn god right now…

_Meh. What harm could one call do?_

His hands reached for the phone.

~( ^_^ )~

"Wow."

Ichigo's breath left him in a whoosh as he stared up the absolutely _giant_ building, resisting the urge to whistle his admiration. When the girl had told him the details over the phone, he hadn't expected the 'company' to be this friggin _huge_.

_How many floors was that? 70? 72?_

Giant dark blue lettering proudly spelled out a name across the middle windows of the full-glass tower, its countless windows sparkling in the sunlight. **Pantera Inc.**, the sign cried out, almost screaming to the world for attention with its over-the-top bold font.

"Well, here goes nothing," the red-head muttered under his breath, gathering his wits about him as he strode forwards. The glass sliding doors slid open silently, admitting the male into a white, modern glass palace. The see-through material covered everything, from the teardrop chandelier hanging from the five metre high roof (yeah, it was a pretty tall lobby) to the flat table that lay atop a pristine white reception desk. The walls to both his sides, along with the one that he had just entered through, were completely see-through, giving the large room a bright, spacious feel.

Heading towards the only solid-looking wall in the lobby, Ichigo strolled up to the desk, fingers curling nervously into his hoodie. Businessmen and women passed him by, a few giving him peculiar looks while others walked on by without a second glance. _God he felt out of place. He knew he shouldn't have worn his sneakers._

"Uh, hi," he said, shuffling forwards and placing his hands on the glass. "I'm here for the job application?"

"…yes sir, I'm quite sure I could redirect you to the help section."

The short, black-haired woman continued to talk, eyes riveted on her computer screen.

Ichigo tried again. "Erm…hello?"

"No, sir, I can't schedule a meeting for you, but I would be more than willing to put you on the waiting list," the woman continued, her small eyes focused as she addressed the unknown speaker through the piece attached to her ear. She had a rather strange hairstyle, he noted. Her hair spread outwards and cut off at her chin, but two long, straight tresses hung down her back, ending with a …ring? at the end of each one. Well, it was different; he would give her that.

The red-headed male began to shift from foot to foot, getting restless from being ignored for so long. Tapping his fingers impatiently, he drummed to a silent song, heard only in his mind.

Another few minutes passed, in which he was still thoroughly disregarded, left to entertain himself by staring at the mass of suited people who strode hurriedly across the wide lobby, most with ears almost glued to their mobiles.

_Da-dum, da-dum, da-_ "What do you want?"

"Eh?" Ichigo spun around, back to the woman who had spoken. She continued to face her computer, fingers flying over the keyboard. He looked from side to side, eyebrows slightly furrowed in confusion. _Was she talking to him?_

"Erm, are you talking to me?"

Sharp, analysing eyes shot up to bore into the red-head. "Yes, genius. Who else would I be talking to?" she snapped, still typing as she spoke (_wow, how the hell does she do that?_). "Now tell me what you want or get lost."

Ichigo pulled back a bit, taken aback by the harsh tone. _And I thought my old science teacher had been tight. _"Uh, well…" he began.

"Speak up, boy!"

"Y-yes! I'm here for the interview for General Assistant," he said, fighting the strange urge to salute as he replied. She was like a drill sergeant; he half expected the woman to order him to drop to the floor and start doing push-ups.

"Name?" the frightening female barked.

"K-Kurosaki Ichigo, ma'am!" _Scary, scary, scary, scary!_

"Hm. Well, I'm not quite sure who's handling this sort of thing, but –,"

"Ah! You over there! Would you happen to be Kurosaki-san?" a high, girlish voice sang, the pitter patter of heels coming closer. The red-head looked up, seeing a woman, hair dyed a dark green and dress-suit shirt and skirt covering her curvaceous body, running towards him. _That's some body._ _Most guys would drool outright if they saw her._

Ichigo wasn't particularly fazed though, even as she came to a stop a miniscule one foot away from him – he didn't really go for the overly sexed-up types (yeah, call him weird), and still preferred guys over girls, although some females _were_ pretty cute. Being bi was nice; it gave him flexibility.

"Uh, yeah, I would be," he replied, hand gripping the strap of his large messenger bag. "So you're Neliel?" The male remembered the sharp, feminine voice from his phone call.

"Yup! It's a pleasure to meet you," she giggled, smiling widely.

Ichigo chuckled internally; she was so perky. It was sorta weird, yet endearing at the same time. "So where am I meant to go for the interview?"

"Please follow me," she tittered, spinning around and heading for the metal elevators on either side of the receptionist's desk. The male hesitated for a second, turning slightly to the black-haired woman, only to find that she had returned to her work, already studiously ignoring him. _Uh, bye, I guess…_ he thought to himself.

An elevator ride filled with corny music and a very loud chattering voice later, Ichigo found himself in an office on the 15th floor of the building, reading through the stack of paperwork placed in front of him as Neliel (or Nel, as she liked to be called) asked him various questions about his schooling, past jobs, reasons for choosing to work at Pantera Inc., etc. – to which he answered with simple sentences or distracted nods. After an hour of ceaseless blathering (courtesy of the green haired woman), the red-head was shaking hands over the desk, being warmly welcomed 'into the family'.

"So your first day will start tomorrow, from 8am to 4pm. Just head to the 47th floor, and the guys will help you from there," she smiled, before reaching into her breast pocket (which was absolutely bulging, mind you; Ichigo wasn't quite sure how she fit _anything_ in there), pulling out a card and handing it to him. "If you need anything, call me."

"Yeah, thanks." He got up. "Well, bye then," he waved, turning away as she squealed her own version of a farewell.

Standing in front of the elevator, the male crossed his arms, tapping his elbow impatiently as he waited for his ride to arrive. Well, twenty bucks an hour was pretty damn good, if he did say so himself. This job could turn out well; after all, there were loads of people, so maybe not _all_ of them would turn out to be bastards, right?

The steel doors slid open, and Ichigo walked in habitually, still too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice anything. That was, until he ran into a wall of pure muscle, of course.

"Wha-?" the red-head exclaimed, stumbling back slightly. "Ow, what the hell?"

_Damn that hurt; what did he ram into? A brick wall?_ Gripping his forehead (which had taken quite a hit), warm brown orbs stared up at the other person, who happened to be almost four inches taller than him. Eyes widening, Ichigo froze in shock.

_Blue. _

That was his first thought, later followed by _oh my god that is some face_ and _wait, __blue__? _Unruly hair was heaped on top of a masculine face, the lips attached to said face curving up into a feral smirk, showing huge amounts of white teeth. Azure eyes sparkled in amusement, no doubt finding the dumbstruck look that Ichigo was fairly sure was splayed across his features hilarious. His mouth hung open, but he honestly didn't care; who worried about such trivial things when you were in the presence of a _fucking god_?

The red-head's eyes drifted automatically downwards, taking in the form-fitting (he fought the urge to drool) dress shirt which hid (or not hid; the material wasn't exactly lose) _very _well-defined abs. Its sleeves were pulled up, showing strong biceps, the collar of the shirt also tugged upwards, a loosened tie hanging haphazardly from the man's neck. Anybody else that had their clothes like that would just look messy; but the Adonis pulled off the look of organised disarray so well that Ichigo was fairly sure he now worshipped dress-shirts and ties.

"Why, hello there," a deep, throaty voice emitted from the divine being in front of him, causing the male to become weak in the knees. _Oh god, oh god. _All coherent thoughts halted as that sensual, sultry, absolutely _delicious_ voice filled the red-head's eardrums.

Ichigo started, shaking himself internally as he realised that he was being addressed. "Uh, h-hi," he mumbled in reply, mind still reeling from shock. _Jesus, and all he had done was_ _talk__ to him_.

The grin widened, and the man chuckled. "So you going to stand there all day, or do you not mind having the elevator doors squish you in half?"

"A-ah! No, I was just coming in," the other male stuttered, stumbling over his words as he hurriedly side-stepped the insanely hot man, rushing into the metal box. Ichigo felt his face heat up. He must have looked like a freaking idiot, standing there and gawping. _Get a grip, Kurosaki!_

_W-was he drooling? _The red-head raised his hand to his lips, letting out a small breath of relief when he found that there was nothing there. Sneaking a discreet peek at the lift's other occupant, he started when he found two expressive azure orbs fixed on his hand, the man's expression focused and serious, so unlike his earlier grin. Ichigo blushed deeply, eyes flicking down to stare at the floor shyly.

_Ignore him, ignore him… _He repeatedly chanted, trying not to focus on the presence beside him that just_ oozed_ sex. It would really not do him any good if he got a hard-on in front of this complete (extremely hot, to boot) stranger.

"So what's your name?"

The red-head turned his head sharply, eyes wide in surprise. _He's talking to me!_ "Kurosaki Ichigo," he answered, still vaguely confused as to why the god-like man (who was now grinning widely once more) was chatting with him. _Don't get your hopes up, idiot! He's just making small talk._ His inner voice was probably right, but could you really blame him for wishing it meant something more?

Teal eyebrows shot up at the name, and from how his smirk grew to epic proportions, he was probably laughing his ass of internally. _Damn his parents for naming him such a stupid thing!_ Even if it meant something else, nobody ever took it like that straight away. It was insanely annoying, at times.

"Hm? Well then, what exactly were you doing here?" the blue haired male inquired, gaze boring into Ichigo. "I'm fairly sure I've never seen you before."

"Job interview. It's my first time here, so…," Ichigo answered, still not able to look the other straight in the eye. _Damn, why was he such a wuss?_

The other man cocked an eyebrow, his feral grin refusing to die down. Somehow, the wild, animalistic smirk turned the red-head on; it was so primal. _Don't think about how hot he is!_ It was becoming increasingly difficult to do this, as the other took a step closer, now standing only a foot away. Ichigo's body heated up immediately, the pheromones that seemed to seep off the male making him a little light-headed.

_Since when was the last time he had it this bad for another guy? Never, probably. _

"That makes more sense," the teal-haired male purred, now so close that the red-head could almost _feel_ the warmth rolling off his body. "_I'd never forget a pretty face_."

Ichigo's eyes widened almost comically, brain going completely insane. _Oh my god, was the guy…__flirting__ with him? _But that wasn't possible, right? Why would he have any interest whatsoever in him? _Was he even gay?_

"Uh, uh…," the red-head was lost for words; it wasn't everyday a sex god came up to him and started chatting, let alone flirt. He was sure he resembled a tomato at this stage.

The man bent forwards once more, scrutinising Ichigo's face. "Hmph. I hope you're not naturally like that, 'coz you're basically screaming 'fruitcake' with that blushing thing of yours," the muscular man sniggered, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants.

_Woah. Did he just…?_

"I'm serious. They're gonna eat you up," he continued. "You wouldn't last a week, kitten."

_He…he just… _

Ichigo was sent reeling. _He just insulted my freaking manhood! And he did it while laughing!_ How up-yourself could someone get? Screw him being Adonis. The guy was a dickhead.

The red-head's hands tightened into fists, body shaking with anger. He was fairly sure a vein in his forehead was probably popping right now. _The son of a bitch! _He hated people like this, who were so callous. And to think, he had actually been attracted to the bastard! _Guess outside looks don't define a person much, do they?_

"Sure you don't want to quit now," he chuckled, the azure eyes that had been so entrancing earlier now condescending. "…Strawberry?"

_Oh, that is fucking __it__!_

"Listen up, idiot! I am going to say this once, and only once, got it?" Ichigo hissed, his head snapping upwards to glare at the other. "I don't give a shit what your gigantic ego thinks of my ability to work in a company like this."

His voice rose. "And you know what? I am not a fucking wuss," he snapped, raising a digit to prod at the arrogant man's chest. "Sure, I go for guys, and I may have been vaguely impressed by you and your stupid, 'cool' looks, but just 'coz I'm not a slut that flirts with everything on two legs doesn't mean I'm fucking weak."

The elevator dinged, and the door slid open, revealing the ground lobby. "So before you go around dissing people to stoke your humongous ego, I suggest you think twice, asshole," he shouted, standing on his tippy toes as he pushed against the other man with his index finger.

Turning on his heel, Ichigo stomped away, completely disregarding the gapes and stares of awe he received from the many who had been within hearing distance of his little rant.

The other man was left in the elevator, staring after the warpath the incensed red-head had created. Scratching the back of his head, he let out a low whistle. "…wow."

As the doors closed once more, the box now headed for the basement, the teal-haired man reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. _15__th__ floor, huh?_ Choosing from his contact list, he brought the device to his ear, speaking into the piece as the other side picked up.

"_Hello?_" the girlish voice came through, the perky soprano distorted.

"Yo, Nelly," he greeted the other.

"_Oh! Grimmy! What's up?_"

"Well, I wanted to ask you a favour…"

"_K then, go for it!_"

"It's regarding a certain person that you interviewed just today…"

Oh yes, the delectable red-head was definitely going to be _eaten up_. Although, not in the same sense of the word, exactly. Even if it took a while (which it wouldn't), the berry was going to be his.

He smirked. Grimmjow always did love a challenge.

**So did you like where this was going? As usual, I suck at plot building and can only write small amounts at a time, so was the description enough? Did it flow? I hope no one expects this to actually go anywhere, right? O_O I'd be writing till I died. XP (my chappys can't go over 4,000)**

**Aaaanyhoo, I need you all to REVIEW! Please? I dunno if I will update this or 'Bound' first, so I need to know which is more needed.**


	2. Chapter 2: A New Job

**I'm so sorry! It's been ages, right? I've just been uber busy lately, then I was really sick last week, and...and...yeah. So anyway, I just managed to find time today, and managed to finish it~! Aren't you proud of me? ^.^**

**If this chappy seems a little random, it's probrably 'coz I'm not really thinking right. Hopefully though, it progresses the story well and, most importantly, entertains!**

**So enjoysies~! And please, please, review.**

_Beep, beep, beeeeeep._

The red-head turned over in his sheets, pressing his head into his pillow with a sleepy grunt.

_Beeeeeeeeeeep, BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!_

"Ugh!" a tanned palm came shooting out from under the covers, slapping the clock exuding that irritating noise against the table. Once again, Ichigo attempted to mould himself to the mattress as he groaned sleepily.

Dazed brown eyes flicked up to the digital clock. _6:30 am_.

He sighed, pushing himself up with a grunt. _What a pain._

Scratching the back of his neck, Ichigo staggered over to the bathroom of his small one bedroom apartment. He hated having a room-mate; being almost socially retarded tended to make things awkward. Which was why he had saved up to buy this small place; the rent was insanely high, but it was worth it. He liked his privacy, thank you very much.

Rinsing his face thoroughly in ice cold water, the red-head towelled off, then brushed his teeth.

_A new job, huh…_

Remembering a certain grinning face, Ichigo scowled. _Pain in the ass._ He hoped to god he never saw that guy's arrogant (he couldn't really say ugly, so…) face again. _Why did all of the hot guys have to be such pricks? _

_Oh yeah, that's 'coz they're hot and they know it._

He sighed. He hadn't had a boyfriend or girlfriend since Rukia a year ago, and that hadn't turned out so well… Since then, he hadn't been with anyone at all.

_Wow. I really __am__ sad._

He needed to get laid. Badly.

The red-head rubbed a palm across his face, shuffling over to his wardrobe and pulling on tight jeans and a white dress shirt. He reached for a crimson necktie before stopping abruptly. _Tie…or no tie…?_

Ichigo groaned in frustration. _Why did he care?_

Shrugging, he threw the material onto his bed, grabbing his denim jacket and backpack from the closet he passed out the door. He rushed down the flight of stairs, palm sliding on the handrail.

"Yoohoo! Ichi~!"

The high, nasal voice called out to him as a body slammed into the red-head without warning, causing him trip, only the hand holding onto the rail in a vice-grip preventing him from toppling down three very painful steps down onto the next landing.

The body clung tightly onto Ichigo, making a disturbing purring noise as it latched on for a few seconds, nuzzling into his stomach. As suddenly as it had attacked, the creature pushed itself off the struggling male, the short-cut blond hair of said male swishing to and fro as the lanky, annoying, possibly life-threatening man (yes, it was actually human) stood up, hands on his hips. "Morning!"

"You…you…," Ichigo breathed in deeply through his nostrils, hand splayed across his face.

Buck-tooth teeth were revealed as the other leaned forward, grinning. Suddenly, a foot was swung, and the blond flew through the air, landing no less than three metres away. "YOU IDIOT!"

The red-head was now firmly on his feet, an angry tick appearing on his forehead as he ranted. "I was on the friggin' STAIRS, Shinji! What if I fell off!"

"Owowowow," Shinji crawled up, rubbing his sore back as he did so. "Chill out, Ichi. I was just saying hello."

"THEN SAY IT IN A NORMAL WAY, DAMMIT!"

The blond cocked his head to the side. "The…normal way?"

Ichigo gaped at him for a few moments more, fingers starting to twitch. _Was it __possible__ for a person to be so utterly retarded?_

The other stared blankly back, pinky finger cleaning out his ear.

_I guess that's a yes._ Leave it to him to find a neighbour that was completely off his rocker. The red head slapped his palm to his forehead, sighing in frustration. "You know what? Just forget it. Just…forget it."

And just like that, the blond launched immediately into a long string of blather, chatting about the omelettes he had for breakfast and how his new handbag _totally _matched his favourite shirt. If anybody who encountered him could not tell that he was gay, then said person was either, blind, deaf, _and_ had no sense of smell (the man took the idea of aftershave to a whole new level), or were probably gay themselves.

Ichigo allowed the grim smile that was always reserved only for his friends (which were not that many in number) to cross his face as they continued down the stairs together, at a_ normal_ speed. Nodding when needed to make it seem as if he wasn't _completely_ tuning him out, he dropped into the regular routine of 'Ignore Shinji' which tended to occur every morning.

They were such complete and utter opposites, he often wondered how in the world they had managed to even meet each other, let alone become best friends. _Well, some things were better left unexplained._

"So anyway, I ran into this guy at work, and he was so completely hot, and –,"

Nod. _I wonder what I need to buy for dinner?_

"And so when my boss did this, I was so pissed off, but I kept it in, and you wouldn't _believe_ –,"

A grunt of understanding. _Laundry needs to be done soon…maybe Thursday?_

"I watched Oprah last night, and it was sooo intriguing, and – …You're a pink unicorn with fairy wings that sparkle with gold dust."

Another nod. _I wonder what I'll be doing at work? I hope I won't be– wait, WHAT?_

Ichigo blinked, turning his head sharply towards the person grinning beside him. "Sorry?"

"I _knew_ it!" a digit was shoved in front of the red-head's nose in a childish act of defiance. "I _knew_ you weren't listening!"

The male's crazy dance of protest was met with a blank gape. "…your point…? You know I do this most of the time anyway," the red-head deadpanned, covering his open mouth as he yawned.

"_Whaaaaaaat?_" Shinji cried melodramatically, hand going to his forehead.

"…"

"That's the new line I'm trying for the local play. I'm auditioning this Sunday~!" he sang, puffing his chest out in pride. "But that's beside the point. You could at least _act _like you're listening when I talk about majorly important stuff like this. Geez."

"How you cook your omelette is…majorly important?"

The other cocked his head to the side, eyebrows dipped as he thought deeply. "Well, when I become famous, the fans would _kill_ for a tid-bit like that, so…"

Ichigo face-palmed.

~( ^_^ )~

The large, gaudily red bus pulled up to the curb, coming to a stop at the corner of the busy street, its sidewalks lined with towering buildings. The red-head seated at the back of said bus stood up off his seat, pulling the strap of his pack taught as he chewed on the last of his muffin, strolling to the front of the vehicle.

A hiss as the doors opened, and the male walked out into the warm sunshine heating the pavement. Once again, for the second time in two days, Ichigo Kurosaki stood in front of the large moving doors of Pantera Inc., this time as a certified employee.

Sparing a lingering glance on the architecturally designed glass tower, he strode briskly in, making a bee line for the elevators.

"Halt!" the commanding voice caused the red-head to freeze automatically, shoulders hunching as he flinched under the piercing sound. All sound within the spacious room suddenly quietened, businessmen and women alike stopping in their tracks.

The dark haired woman from the other day was staring straight at him from behind her desk, eyes narrowed in suspicion. She raised a finger, beckoning to him. "Come here, boy."

Head bowing under the inquisitive stares of every being within the room, Ichigo shuffled forward, cursing his head of hair for being so damn noticeable. "Yes, ma'am?"

"What are you doing here?"

He gulped. _Jesus, she was scary as hell. _"I work here now."

Black eyes narrowed further. "Really?"

"Y-yes, today's my first day."

The red-head fidgeted with the strap of his pack, nervously avoiding her gaze. The seconds ticked by as her eyes bored into him, searching for any signs of trickery or dishonesty.

Suddenly, the phone rang, disturbing their little staring match. She picked up, greeting the other. "Hello?"

A muffled sound came through, and she nodded in understanding.

"Ah, yes. Hrm."

More talking.

"Is that so? Well, I have him here now."

Another quick sentence was heard, earning a sound of affirmation from the administrator.

"All right, I'll tell him. Thank you."

The woman placed the phone back in its holder, crossing her arms as she did so. "Well, looks like you were telling the truth."

_Why was she so cautious? Would a guy like me honestly want to infiltrate a company?_

She let out a breath, still frowning. "Ms. Neliel just informed me that you were to go to level 70 for your briefing."

"But she told me yesterday that–," Ichigo began, only to be cut off by a deadly glare from the other.

Standing to attention with a frightened hop, he nodded sharply, hoping that the 'I'm going to skin you alive' look was not one she wore too often. "Understood, ma'am."

"Good. Now get lost."

He turned on his heel, heading for the lifts once more.

"Oh yeah, and the name's Soi Fon, kiddo. Don't forget it," she called to his back.

~( ^_^ )~

Another long, long, elevator ride later (damn corny elevator music), Ichigo stepped out of the metal box onto the 70th floor, taking in the amazing view that greeted him. The windows opposite were completely of glass, providing an amazing view of Karakura.

_This has to be the largest building in all of town! Wow, was this the very top of it?_

The red-head was sorely tempted to press his hands and face against the glass like a little kid, but refrained from doing so. That didn't mean he didn't stand there for another minute, gawking wide-eyed at everything in sight.

_Wait. Why am I even on the top floor anyway? How the hell am I important enough for __this__?_

"Oh Kurosaki-kun~!"

Green bouncing hair and an extremely tight dress allowed the red-head to immediately recognise the lively ball of smiles jogging towards him. "How are you?" she greeted, waving at him.

"Fine, thanks," he replied, smiling softly despite himself. Her cheer was contagious.

She clapped her hands together happily. "Oh, goody goody. Sorry for the sudden change, but you've been assigned up here instead."

"To do what? Copy papers?"

She giggled behind her hand. "Oh no no no! You're the new secretary to the president!"

Ichigo's eyes bugged out of his head. "What?" he echoed, voice dead with shock.

"The president!" Nel repeated with a beam.

"B-but I'm completely new, and I've had no prior experience in a major company at all, let alone skill as a _secretary_!" the red-head protested, blubbering as he shook his head from side to side in denial.

"That's okay! The president's never needed one before, but he thought it would be suitable now, so we appointed you!" she reassured him, "Don't worry; he's always done everything alone, so you'll only have small little odd jobs here and there to do!"

"B-but still!"

"Relaaax!" the woman grabbed the struggling Ichigo's hand, pulling him down the window-lined corridor to the left. "It'll be fiiiiine."

Turning the corner, they reached a set of black double doors, an intricate gothic 'P' embossed in gold covering the centre of both in such a way that when opened, the letter would also split.

"Come along, come along," she encouraged the red-head, who was still pulling against her, digging his heels into the red carpet. _Jesus!_ _She's insanely strong for her build._

"Wait!" he protested, but the green haired female had already pushed open the doors, revealing the room within.

And it was _some _room. The ceiling was twice the height of a normal one, the ten metre wide window that spanned the wall opposite the entrance completely made of glass. Light filtering through the clear material onto the white walls made the room seem even larger than it already was (which was _very_), gigantic bookcases lining the seemingly endless walls.

Ichigo would probably have stood there for hours gawking at the crystal all-glass chandelier that hung from the ceiling, or maybe the modern leather armchairs and expensive coffee table placed to the left of the entrance, and yet he didn't. No, his attention had been grabbed from the moment he entered the room, to the desk that sat in front of the window.

A man was seated behind said desk, tanned arms resting on the glass tabletop.

_Blue._

A feral grin appeared on the muscular face of the other, canines showing as cerulean eyes sparkled with mirth.

"Yo."

**So how was it? When I read over it, I felt that I made Shinji a little _too_ air-headed; is he too OOC? I love him, especially when he's being an idiot, so I tried to capture that. Tell me if he is, or whether you enjoyed it more or less because of his randomness. **

**'Tis a bit short for such a time space in between, but meh. I've got something big coming up, so no guarantees on the next chappy. :( Sorry. **

**I'm such a slow writer, that I tend to only update my fics once every 4 weeks or so; a month if I'm slow, 2 weeks if I'm hyper or not busy, and if I ever update within a week, it would be considered a miracle XD.**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Kyuu~n =^.^=**


	3. Chapter 3: Don't Hold Your Breath

**Haha, sorry for the slow update, but I did warn you guys. **

**Someone asked me to update Bound, but to that person, along with all those people who also await its updating, sorry! I'm really focused on this fic right now (yeah, 3 week updates is considered extremely focused for me), and so I'm sorta avoiding my other stories at this stage... again, I'm really sorry! But GrimmIchi takes precedence over AiIchi, in my mind, 'coz I love it so much!**

**Anyway, my repeated apologizing is probably getting on everyone's nerves, so without further ado, enjoy~!**

_No. Fucking. Way._

Ichigo stood there, frozen to the ground as he gaped openly. It wasn't possible. _This. Was. Not. Possible._ How the_ hell_ was _he_ here?

Said person continued to grin widely, leaning back into the chair with his arms crossed. The man seemed to be completely comfortable in the large room, somehow pulling off his ruffled outfit (the same as the other day, as Ichigo realised). What was even worse was that he _looked _like he was meant to be there, behind the desk filled with insanely expensive ornaments and friggin _gold_ pens.

"Y-y-you?" he stuttered, a shaky finger rising to point at the blue-haired male.

The other's feral grin widened. "I'm sorry? Do we know each other?"

Ichigo spluttered in frustration, face turning a deep red. "You-!"

A light hearted giggle came from the woman that stood next to him, causing the red-head to turn his head. Nel smiled widely as she introduced the other, blatantly ignoring the new employee's indignant exclamations. "Mr Grimmjow, sir, this is Ichigo Kurosaki, your new secretary."

"Is that so?" the other sniggered. "You sure he's up for the job?"

Once more, the male made a sound of protest halfway between a choking bird and a cat coughing up a fur-ball. "Not up for the- you bastard!" he growled, fists clenching as red spread all the way up to his ears.

The bystander to their little war continued to giggle wildly as she watched a frustrated Ichigo spew swear words at the smug Grimmjow. Covering her mouth to stifle her laughter, Nel began to back towards the door. "Well, since you two know each other now," she announced, causing the tomato-faced read-head to stop, turning around to face her.

She passed the threshold, and reached for the door handle. "I'll just be going."

The door slammed shut with a bang.

Ichigo stared at the still-vibrating door for a moment, stock-still as it finally sank in.

_He's my boss._

His features went slack in shock.

_That means I'll be working under him._

Honey-brown eyes widened to the size of saucers.

_Did I just…yesterday, and just then…_

Every ounce of colour drained out of his face.

_Fuck._

"Sooo…," the low, sultry voice seemed louder in the silence of the room.

The red-head closed his eyes, internally crossing his fingers. _Pleasedon'tlethimrememberme. Pleasedon'tlethimremember._

"Are you feeling okay? Or was my 'humongous ego' too much for you…kitten?"

He drew in a sharp breath. _I'm screwed._

A slight creaking sound as a rolling chair was pushed back, and slow, languid steps neared Ichigo, muffled by the thick red carpet.

He gulped harshly, hands curling into fists. _Ohgodohgodohgodohgod._

Abruptly, the footsteps stopped, and he felt a body standing directly behind, emanating heat. "Turn around," the deep baritone ordered.

_Here it is_, he thought. _He's gonna kill me now._

Complying, the red-head squeezed his eyes tightly shut spinning around. Bracing himself for the inevitable hit, he lowered his head. _Take it like a man,_ _Ichigo._

A second passed. Then another. And another. Yet the blow never came.

Surprised, brown orbs rose to stare at the other man in shock. The bluenette had his head cocked to the side, eyebrow raised as a large grin dominated his face once more.

"Wha-?"

Suddenly, his chin was gripped between two fingers as lips met his, a hot mouth melding itself to his own.

Ichigo froze. Honey eyes widened in shock, his mind reeling as the other male mauled his lips with a rough passion. A large hand reached behind his head, cupping his neck and pressing them closer together.

"Mph!" the red-head gasped, fingers reaching up to grip tightly onto the bluenette's dress-shirt as the other's arm curved around his waist, melding their bodies until they were practically one. _Oh __god__ it feels good. _

Pure heat seeped through his veins, flowing into each nerve ending and setting his body on _fire_. He could feel every slight movement the other made, the warmth seeping off the muscular body pressed against his making him light headed.

A small sound reverberated up his throat, the quiet moan that he couldn't hold in eaten up with fervour.

_Hot…so hot…_

The bluenette chuckled lowly, lips curling up into a smirk against Ichigo's own. And with that, those addictive lips pulled away, leaving the red-head a gooey, weak-kneed mess of flesh.

Grimmjow gazed down at the muddle that had once been Ichigo Kurosaki, grinning at the deep blush that covered freckled cheeks to the full, pouty lips that were wet with saliva. Honey-brown eyes met his as they spun in disorientation, the half-lidded orbs still hazed.

_He looked abso-fucking-lutely delicious._

The red-head breathed in deeply through his open mouth, still tightly gripping the other's shirt in an unconscious hold. _Wha- what just…?_

"I knew it." The bluenette chuckled, leaning down to press his mouth against the shell of Ichigo's ear. A rough tongue flicked out, caressing the earlobe and causing the red-head to shudder. "You taste even better than you look,_ Ichigo_."

"Nh…," the smaller male closed his eyes, feeling a shiver run through him as that sinful voice caressed his name so sensually. The man really was too much.

The wet appendage continued to move once more, trailing a line down his jaw. _Shit that feels good… _The red-head closed his eyes, trembling at the sensation.

Suddenly, a knock echoed through the room. A voice was heard from the other side, muffled by the large door that separated it. "Hellooo? I got some paperwork I need you to sign, blueberry."

Ichigo gasped abruptly, brown eyes snapping wide open as he pushed against Grimmjow's chest, tugging out of the tight grip. Stumbling backwards, the red-head blushed deeply, tripping over his own feet.

"Y-you-…," he stuttered, hand moving up to cover his lips.

Turning around, the red-head dashed for the door, tugging it open and rushing by without a glance to the person who stood outside. Said person was left standing, eyes wide in surprise.

Grimmjow sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he slouched in his position. "What do you want, Shiro?" he groaned. "It had better be damn good."

The male at the entrance strolled in, white hair dancing as he cocked his head to the side. "Did I interrupt something?" a grin bordering on insane crept across his face. A yellow folder was tucked under the man's arm, the black dress shirt he wore contrasting with his pale skin.

"Whaddaya think?" was the grumbled reply. "And it was getting good, too…" the bluenette scratched the back of his neck, muttering in frustration.

The visitor giggled, a high pitched, distorted sound that never failed to scare his co-workers to death. "Aww, sorry Grimmy. He was probably cute, too, knowing you."

"Still though, could you avoid trying to fuck your employees? They just run away faster, and you know how Nel gets pissy about finding new ones," the albino chuckled. "So which department was that one from?"

Grimmjow grinned. It was too hard to stay pissed at the man. The guy was the closest thing he had to a best friend, after all. "None."

A white eyebrow was raised.

"He's my new secretary. Well, he was _supposed_ to have been."

"That's surprising. You've never had one before," the other mused. "You're too good a worker to have patience for others' mistakes."

"True. But he was interesting," the bluenette replied, remembering a certain flustered, angry face.

"Yeah, whatever. It'll be over soon anyway," Shiro laughed. "If he's gay, the guy will be back within the hour, throwing himself at you. If not, then I wouldn't doubt it if he was running screaming out of the lobby at this very moment."

Grimmjow sniggered in response, running a hand through his hair. He was right, after all; it had happened before. "Nah, I think this one's different. But we'll see."

"Yeah, yeah. You never could go for the easy ones, could you?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

~( ^_^ )~

Ichigo ran, sprinting down the corridor, past the lifts until he skidded to a stop at another large set of double doors.

_What the hell am I doing?_

Gripping his hair, he began to pace up and down in front of the black doors, these ones also large and domineering like the other office's. _Shitshitshitshitshit! _

What was he supposed to do now? He couldn't just go in there again, after the other had done _that_. Plus, he was supposed to hate the man's guts, so why the hell was he blushing like a tomato?

All the bluenette had done was _kiss _him, and now he was like a panicky school girl, hiding from her crush. "Argh! Get yourself together, Ichigo!"

_Should I quit…?_

It would be so easy to just run away, and leave the arrogant, confusing prick.

"_**You wouldn't last a week, kitten."**_

"No!" he exclaimed to himself, punching the wall in irritation. "I'm not going to fucking run away!"

This was_ his_ job; there was no way in hell he was going to quit after the first day. It would just prove the blue-haired idiot right. He would rather die than give him the satisfaction.

_Fuck, but how the hell am I supposed to go back in there?_

The guy was a dickhead, but he had a body like a god. _And a damn good kisser, too. _It would cause serious issues to work for a boss that hot. Then there was the repeated teasing…and flirting, too…

_Shit! Don't be such a wuss, Kurosaki! _

Setting his jaw, the red-head spun around, walking forwards…only to collide with another body. "Woah, woah!" hands pale as snow reached out to grip his shoulders as Ichigo reeled back, keeping him steady. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah," he replied, staring at the other's sharp features – they were quite handsome in their own way, but what really grabbed his attention was the eyes. Gold irises, edged with black stared right on back, the other male smiling as he released Ichigo. _Woah, those are some wacky eyes._ And yet they absorbed him, pulling the red-head in.

He continued to stare, riveted, for a minute, only to be pulled back to earth when the other chuckled nervously. "Erm, hello? You there?"

Turning red in embarrassment at his blatant ogling, and also at his close proximity to the attractive male, the red-head shook his head from side to side rapidly, clearing it.

"Unh," he murmured in affirmation. "Th-thanks."

With that, he rushed past the man, a light blush covering his cheeks. _Were all the men in this company models or something? _

Shiro gazed after the male, smile curling into a lopsided smirk. _Damn, he's as cute as a button._

He shook his head, chuckling as he continued down the hallway. _Grimmjow's sure got good taste._

~( ^_^ )~

Cerulean eyes glanced up, a blue eyebrow raised as the male, seated comfortably at his desk glanced up at the red-head. "So you came back?" he smirked.

Ichigo frowned, crossing his arms. "Yeah, of course. I work here now, you know."

"You sure? I was under the impression that you disliked me," Grimmjow placed his pen onto the desk, leaning back in his chair. "If you don't run away now, I might just take that as a challenge."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Challenge?"

The other grinned – it seemed to be his trademark expression. "Yeah," he purred. "A challenge…to see how long it takes until you're _mine_."

Honey-brown eyes widened as the red-head blushed deeply. "Wh-what?" he stuttered, flustered at the unashamed bluntness of the other.

Grimmjow, on the other hand, didn't mind all that much. "I give you three days 'til you crack."

And just like that, his embarrassment was gone, replaced rather quickly by anger. That _idiot _man and his haughty, arrogant attitude! It pissed the red-head off to no end.

_I'll show him, dammit._

"Well, don't hold your breath, blueberry," Ichigo retorted, smirking wickedly. It was _on_.

**I wasn't even planning on putting Shiro in there; it just...happened. **

**Now let me pick your brains for a bit. I have a question for you guys (my adorable, lovable, amazing, godlike readers). Should I make this a GrimmIchiShiro threesome? It seems distinctly possible, especially since I sorta gave him a little moment with Ichi near the end of the chappy. Obviously, it doesn't _have_ to be like that, but it would be fun, no?**

**So any ideas? Tell me what you think by review~! **


	4. Chapter 4: Cutie

**A MIRACLE HAS OCCURRED! I finished a chappy WITHIN THE WEEK! O_O**

**...wow. I must be really obsessed with this. I couldn't get it out of my head, though, no matter how hard I tried. XD It wouldn't leave! "Wriiiite meeee, Wriiiiiite meeee," it had said. Therefore~ I did! Kyuuun~ ^.^**

**Haha...the ironic part is, I have so much I'm supposed to be doing right now, it's not funny. Why am I writing this when I'm at my busiest...? I have no idea. Ah, the mysteries of the world...**

**It was probably because of the countless reviews I received~ (so many...*happy tears*). I've never had so many in such a short space of time before. Kyaaa!**

**Well anyway, I have decided how I want my story to progress now, buuuuuut, I won't tell~. XP You'll have to wait and see... *evil laugh***

**On with the storyzies!**

Tap. Click. Tap. Tap.

Tan fingers flew across the keyboard, brown eyes focused on the glowing screen.

Tap. Tap. Click.

He could feel it. Those eyes _boring_ into his head. _Ignore it, Ichigo. Ignore._

Click. Tap…

The red-head felt his face heat up, warmth creeping into his cheeks, turning them an embarrassing pink.

Tap…

A pause, then…

"WOULD YOU STOP STARING AT ME?"

He glared across the room, frowning at the owner of said eyes.

"Hm…," the blue-haired male leaned his chin in his palm, mouth curving into a grin. "Nup."

Ichigo breathed in harshly through his nostrils, body beginning to shake with rage. _This guy…_ He grit his teeth, jaw clenching.

"Don't you have anything _better_ to do?" he ground out.

The other mock-frowned, fingers tapping the table as he 'contemplated' the idea. "Yeah, but…why should I do it?"

Nut-brown eyes widened comically. "What? You-!"

Grimmjow tipped his head back, roaring with laughter at the red-head's reaction. _Priceless._

Ichigo's swore a vein was beginning to pulse on his forehead. _Breathe. Just…breathe._

Inhaling deeply, he pressed a finger to his temple, counting to ten in his head. Another breath, then the red-head returned to his work, studiously ignoring his grinning boss.

The torture continued.

He continued to type, stubbornly disregarding the cerulean eyes trained on his face.

A minute passed.

The typing became harsher.

Another minute.

Ichigo wasn't really sure what he was actually doing anymore.

A minute of very loud tapping later…

The keyboard was getting quite the bashing.

Grimmjow grinned wider. _3, 2, 1…_

"COFFEE BREAK!"

Almost shoving his chair over in his haste, the red-faced secretary all but ran for the door, throwing it open in his haste.

Booming laughter followed him out the corridor.

~( ^_^ )~

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair, breathing out as he leaned against the granite bench-top. The strong scent of coffee wafted from the cup in his hand, calming him. _What a pain._ Only his first _proper _day of work (being molested by your boss the other time didn't count as an actual workday), and he was ready to rip his hair out.

"Idiot," he muttered under his breath, mentally cursing whatever demon had decided to place his desk in the _same friggin room_ as his annoying, egotistical, unorthodox boss.

The red-head jumped slightly as the door to the sitting room swung open, revealing a lean body, pale limbs and a quirky face. The visitor stepped in, only to halt, head turning to the right as he caught sight of the red-head. White eyebrows were raised.

"Yo."

_Those eyes… _Well, there was no chance he'd ever forget _this_ guy. "Hi…"

The other strolled forwards, grabbing another coffee mug off the bench-top and pouring himself a mug of the brown liquid. "You're the kid from yesterday, right? I'd never forget hair like that." A devilish grin spread across the albino's face.

Honey-brown eyes narrowed. "Kid?" The hand gripping the cup tightened.

"Mhm," inverted eyes twinkled teasingly. "Y'know…"

He shifted forward slightly, invading Ichigo's personal bubble. A pale arm gripped the bench beside the red-head's waist as the other leaned in, face inches from his.

"You're pretty cute."

Shock crossed the newly-employed secretary's face for a second, before something else took its place. The frown on his face deepened. "Is that so?"

The albino smirked.

Ichigo stared at the other, mouth beginning to twitch.

_Idiot._

"Ah, shit!" the pale-skinned male exclaimed suddenly, jumping backwards. A brown stain was spreading across his white dress shirt, tainting the light material. "Hothothot!"

He lifted the edges of his clothing, fanning frantically as the hot liquid continued to soak into the fabric.

The other male stood there, holding his empty cup as he watched the other. "Whoops," he dead-panned. Setting his mug down with a loud bang, Ichigo walked past the still-panicking man, turning his head to glare at the albino.

"Fuck off."

Black-gold eyes gazed up at him in surprise, watching as the red-head continued, leaving the room without a backwards glance.

After a moment, Shiro dropped his now completely-stained shirt, instead linking his fingers behind his head as a lopsided smirk grew on his face. "Wooow, ice cold," he whistled.

_Well __damn__, that just makes him hotter._

The corners of the smile drooped slightly.

_It's gonna take __forever__ to get these stains out._

~( ^_^ )~

Within the ascending elevator, Ichigo stood there for a moment, mouth pursed in silence. The lights on the side lit up as the metal box glided upwards. All was peaceful…and then he snapped.

"PERVERTS! THEY'RE ALL FUCKING PERVERTS!"

He cried out in aggravation, slamming his palm to his forehead. "And I thought the blue-haired idiot was enough of a demon. Now there's some creepy weirdo hitting on me too?"

_Great. Just great._

The doors slid open, and the red-head stormed out, rampaging down the hallway. Shoving open the double doors with abandon, he stomped over to his desk, completely ignoring the cerulean eyes raised at his loud entrance.

Falling into his seat, Ichigo continued his work with a vengeance, the pounding of his keyboard loud enough to cause the other occupant of the room to wince. With a sigh, the bluenette pushed his chair away from his desk, rising and walking across the room to his fuming secretary.

"Oooi, Kurosaki."

"_What_?" came the hissed reply.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm."

Clack.

"Doing."

_Clack._

"My."

CLACK.

"Work!"

Grimmjow watched this mini rampage with a raised eyebrow, before his muscled hand darted out to catch tan fingers. "I don't remember asking you to destroy your keyboard."

The red-head glowered at his boss. "Well I don't remember agreeing to do a thing you say, _asshole_."

Sky-blue eyes narrowed dangerously, and with an astonished yelp, Ichigo's hand was tugged, causing him to be dragged over the width of the desk. "What in the-?"

Fingers gripped his chin, forcing him to look up into the scowling face of the other. "Well, you _work _for me, strawberry. So I expect you to _do what I fucking say_," Grimmjow growled.

Shocked, and fairly frightened, the red-head nodded, a small whimper escaping him.

"I dunno what crawled up your ass and died while you were gone, but if it interferes with your work, you'd better sort it out," he hissed.

At that, the bluenette's lips quirked upwards.

"After all, you're absolutely adorable when you're pissed…," he said, feral grin returning full-force. "But not if it wasn't me that caused it."

Ichigo's mouth dropped open slightly, before red flooded his face as he began to squawk in indignation. "You friggin sadist!"

"Aw, but you like that, don't you?"

His mouth opened and closed like a gold-fish. "I DO NOT!"

"You sure?" the bluenette cocked his head to the side, voice teasing.

"Fuck you!"

"Oh no, kitten," he bent down, hand tugging Ichigo's chin upwards simultaneously to meet him.

Honey-brown eyes widened, the red-head's breathing hitching ever so slightly.

The man smirked, expression effortlessly sensual.

"Fuck _you_."

~( ^_^ )~

The red-head sat, gripping his fork in an iron grip as he glared daggers at the plate of noodles before him. The smell wafted up to his twitching nose, making his mouth water.

_Hungry…so hungry…_

He shook his head from side to side rapidly, biting his bottom lip in frustration. _Don't touch it, Kurosaki. Don't you dare._

The person that was seated across from him sighed loudly, setting down his own utensil and watching the red-head carefully.

"Why aren't you eating?"

"Because I'm not hungry," Ichigo gritted out.

His stomach grumbled loudly.

A sky-blue eyebrow was raised, the male resting his chin on inter-linked fingers as he continued to peruse his companion. "Yeah…sure you're not," he drawled, sarcasm dripping off his words.

The red-head blushed.

"So why exactly won't you? It's got to be better than that rubbish you were eating earlier," Grimmjow continued, motioning to the steaming-hot dish with his hands.

Ichigo pursed his lips, hand clenching the fork in his hand until it almost _screamed_ in protest. _Damn Grimmjow. _Why did the idiot have to keep such a tight watch on him? If it was anyone else, he would have been left alone to eat his lunch (which had consisted of a jam sandwich) in peace.

But _nooo_. The blue-haired idiot had to go and grab his meal (oh who was he kidding? It wasn't even good enough to be considered a _snack_), and now he was seated at one of the pristine glass tables at the cafeteria, eating a meal that would probably have been worth his _entire week's_ salary.

_A warm, hot, delicious-smelling meal… Gyah! No, Ichigo! You mustn't give in to temptation!_

His stomach rumbled loudly once more.

"Urgh…," he mumbled, resisting the urge to clutch his twisting belly.

The bluenette seated across from him frowned. "Why are you so adamant about this?"

"Don't say anything, asshole. I'm not gonna…," the sounds coming from his abdomen were really becoming quite loud. "Urgh…accept charity from _you_."

Grimmjow cocked an eyebrow, shaking his head in exasperation.

"You are one stubborn idiot," he sighed, picking up his fork once more.

"Yes, I am, so you'll excuse me if I leave early," Ichigo hastened to add, hurriedly pushing his chair away from the table and beginning to stand.

"No, you're not."

"Eh?"

His boss tapped his fingers against the glass, staring at Ichigo with a serious expression. "Sit down, Kurosaki."

Honey-brown eyes narrowed as the red-head set his jaw stubbornly. "…why?"

A staring match ensued between employee and employer, both testing each other.

Finally, Grimmjow spoke. "Because if you don't, I _swear_ to make your life a living hell for the rest of the week."

Ichigo faltered, swaying slightly as he contemplated the situation. _Could my life really get any worse?_ The bluenette stared right on back, cerulean eyes just _daring_ the other to disobey.

_Yeah, it probably could._

"Fine." The red-head sat down, still glowering.

Grimmjow's lips curled into a small smile, satisfied at the outcome of their battle. "Now eat," he ordered.

"No."

"_Ichigo…_"

Both men glared at each other in silence, neither backing down.

"I said…," the bluenette reached across the table, stabbing his fork into the secretary's dish and scooping out a clump of noodles. "Eat."

Ichigo stared at the fork placed in front of his face, eyes widening. "Wait, what?"

"Eat."

"Woahwoahwoah!" the red-head protested, hands rising to make a cross sign across his chest. "No way am I eating from something _you_ ate. That's disgusting!"

Grimmjow cocked an eyebrow, before a devilish grin spread across his face. "Is that so?" he crooned. "Well, I would think that we were past that by now, wouldn't you? Kurosaki…_kun_."

"Wha-?" Red spread rapidly across Ichigo's cheeks, his eyes averting in embarrassment as he remembered yesterday's events. "Tha-! It's not the same!" he stuttered.

"Reeeeally?" the bluenette purred, leaning forwards and pushing the mouthful towards the other. The secretary leaned backwards into his chair, hands still crossed at his chest as he avoided the utensil.

"Or…are you just…scared?"

The red-head gasped, eyebrows knotting as he objected. "I am _not_!"

His boss only grinned, blue eyes sparkling in amusement.

"I said I'm _not_!"

"Mhm, suuure, Ichi."

"I said I'm-argh!"

Without warning, Ichigo bent forward, biting into the fork.

"There! Happy?" he grumbled after pulling back and swallowing the mouthful.

Grimmjow's grin grew impossibly wide, and he sat back in his seat with a satisfied chuckle. "Well, yeah, actually."

"Hmph!" the red-head turned his head to the side, pouting childishly.

The bluenette placed his chin on his palm, expression mischievous. "Y'know…what you did just there…it was an 'indirect kiss' right, Strawberry?"

The blush returned full-force. "N-no it wasn't!" he exclaimed. "T-that was…that was you forcing me to eat!"

"Mhm. And guess what? _You ate_."

Ichigo looked down in surprise at his meal, before closing his eyes and smacking his forehead. "Damn you, Grimmjow, just…damn you."

The bluenette laughed quietly. "Anything you say, Kitten. Anything you say."

"Aaawwwww, aren't you two just _adorable_?"

The red-head jumped slightly in his seat, surprised by the sudden interruption. _Wait…that voice…_

His boss didn't even flinch, only turning his head slightly and nodding. "Shiro."

"Wha-?" Ichigo looked at the newcomer, mouth hanging open. "You!"

The albino shoved his pale hands into the pockets of his pants, slouching casually. "Yup. Nice to see ya again, cutie."

"Cutie?" Grimmjow echoed, raising a blue eyebrow. "You two…have already met?"

"Met-wha-he-why-?" the red-head stammered, completely lost for words.

Shiro nodded in agreement, smiling widely. "Come to think of it though…I haven't introduced myself yet, have I?"

"Well then…,"the albino bent down, taking hold of a spluttering Ichigo's hand and bringing it to his lips. "Vice President of Pantera Inc., Shirosaki at your service."

"V-v-vice president?"

"Yup," he chirped, inverted eyes laughing.

The corners of the red-head's mouth began to twitch. _Vice president. Him._

He looked over at Grimmjow, almost pleading for him to object. The bluenette only smirked, also watching Ichigo with amusement. The newly-appointed secretary felt the urge to burst into frustrated tears.

_My life is over._

**You like? You like? **

**When I read over this chappy, I realized that it had somehow become extremely childish...like, VERY. But 'tis okay, 'coz 'twas funny. ^_^ (Shiro - whiplash! [sorry, dear XD]) Just a side note; when I write fluff, I WRITE fluff. It's gonna be pretty perky and happy for a fair bit, so...**

**You didn't expect actual _depth_ from ME, did you? O_O**

**Buuut, yeah. I like my daily torturing of Ichi. ^-^**

**Reviewzies please~! (You know it works; it's already been proven - the more you review, the faster I write! XP)**


	5. Chapter 5: Elevators

**Yo! 'Tis been a while, hasn't it? Heehee, sorry; I had to update my other fic, or my throat would have been torn out XP (angry readers are scaaaary).**

**But anyway, I actually really enjoyed writing this, and I hope you'll enjoy reading it, too~!**

"Soooo… how're you doing, Grimm?" the albino continued, grinning widely as Ichigo sat, face slack with shock as he stared at the newly-acquainted vice-president.

The bluenette returned the smile, thoroughly amused by his secretary's reactions. "Fine thanks, Shiro."

The red-head began to splutter again. "Woah-you-."

"Nice weather, dontcha think?"

"Yes, I hear it's going to be quite warm today."

"Hey! Wait a sec-!"

"Mind if I join ya?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"STOP FOR A MINUTE, DAMMIT!" Ichigo slammed his hands onto the table, glaring at both of the men as the albino pulled back a chair with a scrape, sitting down in a messy sprawl.

Shiro cocked his head to the side. "Noisy one, ain't he?" he quipped, turning to face Grimmjow and completely ignoring the fuming secretary.

The bluenette smirked, playing along. "You have no idea."

"O-oi…"

"So what's he like?" the albino leaning his chin into his palm.

Grimmjow tilted forwards, grin feral. "Inside work…or out?"

The corners of the red-head's mouth began to twitch. "Hey…you two…"

"Hmmm? So is he as vocal _elsewhere_ as he is now?" the white-haired man crooned.

"Well, I should think he would be…"

Ichigo's palms gripped the side of the table in an iron lock. "Grimmjow…,"he gritted out.

"Is that so?" Shiro cackled. "Any complaints from neighbours yet?"

There was an almost audible crack as the red-head's patience left him, closely followed by his sanity. A vein pulsing on his forehead, he growled lowly at both of the nonchalant men.

"_Listen when people are speaking, bastards_."

The albino cocked his head, smiling sweetly as if he hadn't just noticed the other nearly break the teetering table with the force of his movements. "Oh, did you want to say something?"

Ichigo only stared at him incredulously for a moment, before his expression morphed once more into a glare. _Damn idiot and his teasing. By the Gods! They're like twins! _

Shirosaki stared at the red-head, as if contemplating, before grinning widely and raising a finger. "Y'know, I still don't know your name," he said, his voice so utterly chirpy that the other wanted to _choke_ him.

_And he __hit on me__?_

"Yeah, well, give me one reason why I should tell you."

The reply was almost instantaneous. "Because I'm far higher ranked than you, will annoy you to death until you tell me, and most importantly, am drop-dead gorgeous. Thus you should be obliged to introduce yourself to a handsome gentleman like me," he listed, as if it were the most obvious and natural thing in the world to do so.

Ichigo's eye twitched.

_This dude takes narcissism to a whole new level._

In response to the red-head's stunned silence, Grimmjow burst into laughter, tossing his head back and hooting without shame. After a few moments, with Ichigo glaring daggers into his head, the bluenette finally quietened down, still snickering.

Other patrons in the cafeteria stared for a moment, before shrugging and returning to their business. Hearing the semi-insane cackling of both their presidents wasn't all that rare, anyway.

"His name is Ichigo. Kurosaki Ichigo," he chuckled, answering his friend's question.

White eyebrows shot to the albino's hairline, before he snorted. "Ichigo, huh?" He turned his head to the red-head, whose expression was beginning to darken.

_If he __dares__ tease me about it, I swear to God…_

"It suits you… Strawberry." The grins on both their faces could no longer be described as merely shit-eating.

_Why did I even bother thinking that there was a teeny weeny chance he __wouldn't__ be a dickhead about it?_

Throwing his hands up, Ichigo sighed exasperatedly, turning around as he growled something about 'Idiot bluenettes and their stupid friends who also happened to be vice presidents and how his life was so fucked up'.

Shiro cackled loudly, before shouting at the red-head's retreating back. "Oi, I didn't mean it alright? Just come back here, would ya, Ichi?"

The other male paused for a moment, before shaking his head from side to side. _Yeah right, 'didn't mean it' my ass._

"If you leave now, I'm going to ban your coffee breaks for the rest of the week," his boss's voice called out, causing him to freeze in his tracks. "And you'll have to bring your desk over, _next to mine_."

Ichigo stopped. Blinked. Then shuddered. How could the bluenette threaten him with such horrendous things so nonchalantly?

_Working next to the pervert. For a whole. Fucking. Week. _

Horrified at the prospect, he spun around, shuffling quickly back to the other two and seating himself hurriedly. As he did so, though, he noticed the other two's satisfied smirks, and immediately regretted returning so hastily.

_I feel like a puppy coming back with its tail between its legs._

"Shiro, what the hell happened to your shirt?" Ichigo's blue-haired boss raised an elegantly sculpted eyebrow, nodding towards the chocolate-coloured stain that covered his friend's white dress-shirt.

Honey-brown eyes, which had been looking down stubbornly at the table, glanced up at this.

_Oh._

A pause as it registered.

_Fuck._

He really, really wished that the floor would just open up and swallow him whole.

"Oh, y'know… you see, I met with someone new today," Shirosaki said, gold-black orbs sliding as he glanced at the steadily paling secretary out of the corner of his eye.

Ichigo's fists began to tighten. He could feel heat climbing up his neck, but he desperately tried to force it back down. _I am so screwed._

Grimmjow sighed. "You came onto him, didn't you?"

"Him? When did I ever mention a 'him'? It could have been a hot girl for all you know," the albino mock-pouted, trying his best to look innocent. It didn't work.

"Number one; you're gay, and Number two; Ichi looks like he's about to piss his pants," the bluenette dead-panned, much to the red-head's indignation.

Shiro frowned, crossing his arms childishly. "You're no fun, Grimm."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever snowflake," he replied, running a frustrated hand over his face. "What did you do?"

The albino turned to the secretary, winking. "Why don't you tell him, Ichi-chan?"

The red-head's eyes widened, before glancing nervously down at the table. "He… uh…," he mumbled, shifting nervously.

_Damn he's cute when he's shy. _

The blue-haired president couldn't help but stare, even through his annoyance, watching the sprinkling of pink begin to spread over the other's cheeks. The kid was adorable when he scowled, but he looked positively _edible_ like that.

"He called me a cutie…"

Grimmjow blinked. "… that's it?"

Honey-brown eyes glanced upwards as Ichigo frowned. "What do you mean 'that's it'?" he hissed, annoyed at the other for being so nonchalant about something so mortifying.

The bluenette smiled wryly. "Trust me, he's done a lot worse than 'cutie' on first meetings before."

"What? What have you…?" Ichigo looked at Shiro, who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. For a moment, he stared. Then he shook his head. "Actually… you know what? I _really_ don't want to know."

The albino sniggered loudly, Grimmjow only rolling his eyes in response to his friend's antics.

"But anyway…," the vice-president began. Ichigo let out a loud yelp when gold-on-black eyes were suddenly centimetres from his, staring intently.

"Woah!" The red-head gulped, pushing as far back into his chair as possible. "Seriously, do you two have no concept of personal space whatsoever?"

"Nuuup!" the other sang, lopsided grin growing as he placed his hands on both armrests of the chair. "So what are you gonna do… Ichi?"

"Do?"

"About my shirt," the albino snickered, leaning even closer until their noses were almost touching. "Just dry cleaning's not gonna work for this, y'know…"

Ichigo fidgeted slightly, looking away to the side nervously. _Too close! He's way too close._ "How much was it?"

"Three hundred bucks."

He blinked. "What?"

"I said that it was-."

"I know what you said it was, dammit!" The red-head burst out, expression incredulous. "How the fuck am I supposed to pay for a three hundred dollar shirt?"

The albino cocked his head to the side. "Umm… small increments… with interest?" he suggested, eyes laughing with mirth.

Ichigo made a choking noise.

"Or maybe…," Shiro pressed closer, suddenly more serious. "You could find some _other_ way…?" he whispered seductively, blowing softly on the other's ear.

Honey-brown eyes widened to the size of plates, the red-head's face heating up rapidly. Neck craning, he tried to move away from the mouth beside his face, only to freeze as a tongue flicked out to lick along the shell.

Breath hitching, Ichigo's eyes closed involuntarily. "Ngh…"

The wet limb travelled across his earlobe in an agonisingly slow movement, before beginning to dip into the hollow… then suddenly, it was gone.

Surprised, the red-head's eyes snapped open, looking in confusion as he was greeted with the sight of a narrow-eyed Grimmjow holding a bewildered Shirosaki by the scruff of his neck.

"Wha-? What are you doing Grim-," he began, but was cut off as the bluenette gripped his arm in a vice, tugging Ichigo out of his chair unceremoniously.

The seat clattered to the ground, his boss dragging him across the cafeteria floor as his feet slipped and slid after him. "Lunch is over."

"O-oi! Stop for a second, would you?" the secretary protested, still not able to gain his footing properly. He tried to tug his arm out of the other's grip, but found that it was basically impossible.

Staring after the loud duo, Shiro's confused expression slowly morphed into one of content, a peculiar smirk curling the sides of his lips.

"Well, well, well…"

~( ^_^ )~

"What the fuck, Grimmjow!"

The bluenette ignored the continual protests of his secretary, lips a thin line as he jabbed at the elevator button.

"Answer me!" Ichigo shouted, fuming at him.

Grimmjow only turned his head away, stubbornly keeping his silence.

The red-head cried out in frustration, suddenly finding it so utterly tempting to sock his boss in the face. "What the hell crawled up your ass and died?" he spat.

Narrowed cerulean eyes flashed over at him, and without warning Ichigo was suddenly slammed into the closed elevator doors, the metal vibrating hollowly as he hit it with a grunt. Two hands thumped on either side of his head, strong arms keeping him trapped between the cold steel and the wall of pure muscle that was the blue-haired Adonis.

Grimmjow leaned close, making the red-head automatically flatten himself onto the surface behind him. "G-Grimmjow?"

"_Nothing _'crawled up my ass', Ichigo," the bluenette growled, his azure orbs burning with a fiery rage that caused the smaller male to shudder. "For your information, I just saved _your_ ass."

Momentarily forgetting his nervousness, the red-head's eyebrows knit together, and he opened his mouth to protest. "What are you talking about?"

A blue eyebrow was raised, and if even possible, Grimmjow's expression seemed to darken more.

"So you would have been perfectly fine…," he lashed out without warning, tongue pressing against the other's ear and tracing the entirety of the curve. The male between his arms made a small whimpering sound, shivering as he continued to tease the flesh. The small whimpers increased in volume as his ministrations became more aggressive, until the other gasped loudly as the wet limb dipped into the hollow.

"Gah!"

With a lingering lick, the bluenette pulled away, pressing his forehead to the red-head's and staring challengingly into the nut-brown of the other's orbs. "…if I had let him continue to do that, huh?"

"I…"

Grimmjow's upper lip curled, eyes narrowing further when the other looked to the side, cheeks becoming steadily redder. "So you _would_?"

"Huh? Wha- I didn't-."

With a quiet ding the elevator doors slid open, causing the surprised Ichigo to fall backwards into the box. Hitting the wall on the other side, the red-head winced, pushing himself up against the wall as he tried to regain his balance.

Nut-brown eyes glanced upwards, widening as the incensed bluenette stalked towards him, the metal doors sliding closed behind the president.

"Um, G-Grimmjow?"

The other growled, the animalistic sound sending a shiver down his spine. The bluenette was now towering over him, forearms placed on either side of Ichigo's head, forcing the red-head to press backwards.

The smaller male could feel his heart rate picking up, the heat emanating off the body in front of him sending jolts through his system.

_Oh God, and he hasn't even __touched__ me yet._

Fists clenched, his body shivered in anticipation as he looked up into the other's swirling, navy-blue eyes. The tension was becoming unbearable. Shifting slightly, Ichigo ran a tongue over his painfully dry lips.

And before he could even blink, Grimmjow's lips were sealed onto his, pushing roughly against his own.

_F-Fuck._

The red-head could already feel his heated body wanting to move forwards, to mould itself into the other's embrace. He wouldn't last long like this.

Already the bluenette's tongue was prodding, sliding, seeking entrance to his mouth. The scary part? He wanted to let it in. He wanted to let it in _so badly_.

But he didn't. Instead, he raised his hands, planting them against Grimmjow's chest and pushing with all the strength he could muster with his jelly-like limbs.

"St-stop!" Ichigo pulled away by a mere centimetre, before the other was growling lowly, re-initiating the kiss before the red-head could react.

His wrists were caught, the bluenette's rough hands slamming them against the elevator wall as he continued to maul the smaller male's mouth. Grimmjow's tongue was more insistent this time, prodding harder at the other's mouth. Yet Ichigo refused to cave, pressing his lips together stubbornly.

Growling in annoyance, the blue-haired man pushed up alongside the red-head's body, relishing in the whimper that the other couldn't hold back.

"Ichi… let me in," he whispered against the male's mouth, teeth tugging a plump lower lip.

"Ngh… no…"

Lust-darkened cobalt eyes narrowed, before the man shoved a thigh between Ichigo's legs, forcing them to spread.

Honey-brown eyes widened as the other's knee was pressed against his growing erection. A moan left his throat before he could stop it, mouth opening in a gasp.

Grimmjow's mouth quirked upwards slightly in a small smirk before he attacked the red-head's open lips without mercy, tongue slipping in to rub against the other's. The wet limb thoroughly explored the cavern, massaging the smaller male's hesitant appendage.

"Ungh…," Ichigo moaned helplessly into the kiss, knees becoming weak and eyes sliding shut as that _tongue_ assaulted his own. Thoughts barely coherent, it was as if every stroke of the other's limb sent molten lava seeping down to the very tips of his toes.

_Ah…_

The other continued to mercilessly grind against his arousal, making him cry out as his legs trembled. Only Grimmjow holding his arms to the wall were enough to keep him standing, by this stage.

His mind completely blanked into white, pleasure dominating his everything. Without even realising it, Ichigo had already begun to kiss back, tongue intertwining with the other's in a wet, messy tangle.

The bluenette purred deeply in response, his own erection becoming harder by the moment. _Fuck he's sexy._

Suddenly, the elevator jolted to a halt, a ding voicing their arrival and jerking the both out of their lust-filled haze.

Grimmjow's eyes snapped wide open, and he jumped back as if he had been electrocuted. The red-head he had been ravishing so intently slid to the floor, weak limbs unable to hold his weight.

The bluenette stared, as if in shock, before rubbing his face with his palm. "Ichi…," he muttered, glancing down at the bewildered male, who looked back with dazed nut-brown eyes. "Just… take the rest of the day off."

And with that, he turned around, striding quickly out the elevator doors and down the corridor.

**Can you see why I said I loved this chappy? *wiggles eyebrows* XD**

**Damn, I think that was my best smut scene in a while; I never knew Elevator smex was so hot! ^.^ Heehee; angry, pushy Grimm is always fun.**

**Again, the events that occurred in this were (as usual) almost completely random and though up on the spot. still though~ smut is yummy. Too bad elevators never take very long to arrive... *sighs* Can't do much...**

**Anyway, review please~! Tell me what you think of this turn of events!**


	6. Chapter 6: Messed Up

**Hey, sorry for the late update, but I've been finding it a bit hard to use my computer much, as I have been on holiday as of the past few weeks. **

**That said, I have a lot of spare time on my hands now, so I will hopefully be able to spend a little more time _thinking _about my fics, if nothing else. XD**

**So without further ado, enjoy my sad, sad attempt at plot building~!**

"H-hey, Ichigo… slow down," the other person warned, frowning in worry as he watched the red-head drain bottle after bottle of beer.

Ichigo sighed, bringing down the bottle and slamming it against the counter, eyelids drooping in both exhaustion and annoyance. "Shut up, Shin," he muttered, running a palm over his face. No matter how much he drank, he still stayed sober. And right now, that was the very last thing he wanted.

Shinji's frown deepened, his normally energetic personality dulled by his friend's moody state. He glanced around the deserted bar, before leaning in worriedly. "Ichi… what's wrong?"

Brown eyes glanced up at the blonde, the red-head slumped over the bar-top. "It's nothing."

The other raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you come to my bar –which you've _never_ done voluntarily– then drink enough to make a horse pass out. But obviously, nothing's wrong."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But…"

"Don't. Just… don't." Ichigo ran his hand through his hair, leaning his forehead in his palm.

The blonde's lips thinned. "Is it something to do with your new job?"

The red-head froze, muscles tensing slightly. Shinji's eyes narrowed, the action conforming his suspicions. "You can tell me, y'know…"

Eyelids drooped, falling to half mast over coffee-coloured orbs.

_This is so messed up._

~( ^_^ )~

**Before…**

The red-head sat, staring after the closed elevator doors in confusion.

_What in the…?_

Gripping onto the wall behind him, Ichigo began to push himself up, still slightly shell-shocked.

_Th-that was…_

He covered his mouth with his palm.

_So stupid. _

The red-head leaned backwards into the metal surface of the elevator, his head thumping on the wall. "Fuck!"

He was such an idiot.

_What happened to proving the other wrong? I fucking handed myself up on a silver platter._

Ichigo's palms slammed into the surface on either side of him, groaning in frustration.

"Fuck Fuck Fuck _Fuck_ _Fuck__!_" he swore, thumping his head repeatedly.

He was so screwed over.

_And still turned on._

…_Fuck._

Honey-brown eyes glanced at the closed metal doors, the red-head frowning.

_What do I do now?_

His eyebrows knitted together. Walking over to the side wall, his tan fingers rose, hovering over the elevator's glowing buttons.

_He…_

"**Just… take the rest of the day of."**

_That dick-head can wait til later._

Lips tightening into a thin line, the male pressed the switch, the 'G' turning red as the metal box began to move.

_I need a drink._

~( ^_^ )~

**Currently…**

"…Wow…" The blonde's mouth was hanging open, eyebrows raised as he placed his chin in his palms, elbows leaning against the bar-top. "That's gotta suck."

Ichigo shot a dirty look at his friend. "No shit, Shin."

"Well, if he really is as hot as he seems to be… I don't really see the issue," Shinji cocked his head to the side, pouting.

"_What?_" the red-head gritted out. His eyes narrowed, before he pushed back his stool, standing up as he glared daggers at the other. "See? _This_ is why I never come to you for advice."

"No, no, wait, Ichi!" Shinji whined. "I'm sorry, it's just… I honestly don't. If this is really so bad, then why don't you talk to him to clear it up?"

Ichigo's mouth turned downwards, one side of his lips curling into a wry frown. "Yeah, he has a perfectly plausible explanation for randomly molesting me in an _elevator_."

"Well, maybe…"

The red-head slammed his fists onto the bar-top, shoulders tense. "Then why didn't he explain it _then_?" he half-shouted.

The blonde's mouth pressed into a thin line, the male completely serious for once. "Well, if not, what _are_ you gonna do, Ichi?"

Ichigo paused, staring down at his splayed fingers for a moment.

_What __am__ I going to do?_

"I…," he said, sitting down once more in his seat, calming down. "I…honestly don't know."

Shinji cocked an eyebrow. "Well, you'd better figure it out."

"…Yeah."

Standing up, the male pushed back the stool, throwing a clump of bills onto the bar as he did so. "Thanks, Shin."

"…No worries…," the blonde replied, still slightly wary of his friend's temperament.

The red-head waved absent-mindedly as he strolled down the bar.

"Later."

~( ^_^ )~

"That'll be ten dollars fifty."

Nodding in affirmation, Ichigo handed over the cash, taking the plastic bag from the counter as the monotone cashier waved him away.

Tugging the collar of his jacket up higher, the red-head walked out towards the glass entrance of the convenience store, the automatic doors sliding open and allowing the chilly weather outside to spill in. The moon beamed down onto the pavement, alighting the mass of people still rushing through the streets.

Head bowed, Ichigo joined the bustling crowd, a deeper frown than usual on his tanned face.

_Figure it out, huh? Well, easier said than done._

The bag weighing on his fingers, the red-head continued his trek back home, lost in his thoughts as hundreds of people milled around him.

Abruptly, Ichigo was jolted, stumbling backwards as another body ran into his.

"Oi! Watch where you're going!"

Rubbing his head as he grunted in pain, the red-head raised his head to glare at the other… and froze.

Honey-brown eyes widened.

Yet it was not the other that had shocked him into a stunned silence, mouth hanging open ever so slightly.

No, it was the sight behind said person.

_Is that…?_

"Hey, you there?"

Ichigo could barely reply, unmoving as he stared blankly over the other's shoulder, the person in front of him completely forgotten.

"…Whatever." The male shrugged, stepping to the side and past the silent red-head.

_No, that… that can't…_

And yet he knew. Even from the other side of the busy road, there was no doubt.

Muscled arms, covered by a high-class leather jacket were wrapped around a thin waist, hugging the feminine, curvaceous woman closer to a wide chest.

The female's face was turned upwards, eyelashes flitting flirtatiously up at the other, her breasts pressing themselves scandalously into his front.

Blue, blue eyes stared right back down at the woman, wild cerulean hair framing the face that Ichigo knew all too well.

_Grimmjow._

Before he could even move, the strawberry-blonde had reached up, arms hooking around the bluenette's neck as she pulled the other in for a deep lip-lock.

The plastic bag slipped from the red-head's fingers.

_He…_

Ichigo's jaw clenched, his brown orbs flicking away from the couple as he turned his head to the side.

_Guess that's the way it goes, huh._

His fingers twitched, curling into fists. Blinking rapidly, the red-head fought against the stab of pain blooming in his chest.

_What did you expect? That he actually thought of you than more than a quick fuck?_

He let out a shaky breath.

Idiot.

_This is what you get when you start falling for shitheads like him._

"_**Ichi…"**_

His eyebrows lowered, expression morphing into a glare as his upper lip curled.

_You know what? Screw that bastard._

Bending down, the red-head snatched up the fallen bag of groceries, the plastic clenched tightly in his fist.

_If he thinks I'm going to let him keep fucking with me, he's got another thing coming. _

And yet even as he stubbornly set his teeth, the red-head couldn't help but walk that little bit faster, eyes prickling as he rushed away from the man.

The man who, in only a day, had taken every bit of respect he had gained and crushed it callously beneath his feet.

~( ^_^ )~

Ichigo walked into the giant lobby of what was now his workplace, expression blank as his lips curved downwards in a seemingly permanent version of his trademark frown.

"Oh Ichigo~!"

The green-haired female that was _way _too energetic early in the morning skipped over to the red-head.

Gaze flicking over to her, not even the slightest of smiles graced the male's face. "Ms. Neliel," he stated.

Nel paused, a perplexed pout forming at the other's strangely monotone attitude, before shrugging it off for her usual sunlight-shimmering smile. "You're gonna be with me today!" she chirped.

Honey-brown eyes blinked for a moment.

"For… the entire day?" the red-head inquired, slightly tentative.

The green-haired woman nodded excitedly.

Ichigo's lips quirked. "You sure Grimmjow's okay with this?"

"Yeah!" Nel replied, before holding her pointer-finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Well, come to think of it… I think _he_ was the one who suggested this…"

_So that's how it is._

The red-head shrugged.

_Meh. Not like I'm gonna complain._

Ichigo gestured towards the lifts. "So, what's first?"

~( ^_^ )~

_So here I am again._

He stared down at the cleanly-cut slices of bread, laden with jam on the table in front of him. A steaming cup of coffee stood next to his sandwich, the exact same that he had used yesterday.

He had grown attached to it.

_Ah, such good memories…_

He smirked.

"Watcha smilin' 'bout?"

"Fucking hell!" Ichigo was shocked backwards, arms flailing and chair teetering as it came dangerously close to toppling backwards.

Pale hands gripped the armrests of the seat, pushing it back down onto the safety of level ground as the male sniggered in laughter. "Woah, woah, careful there, Ichi-chan!"

The red-head twisted around behind him, striking out at the grinning albino, who easily dodged the punch, still cackling like a madman.

"Shut up! You're the one who scared the shit out of me in the first place!" he growled.

"Aww, I'm sowwy," Shiro pouted, trying his very best puppy dog eyes.

Ichigo stared blankly at him, not reacting in the slightest.

The expression morphed quickly into a full-blown grin. "But anyways…," he snickered. "Watcha doin' all on your lonesome in the break room?" The albino wagged his eyebrows suggestively. "Shouldn't 'cha be with Grimmy-chan?"

"…I hope you didn't mean it the way I think you did, because if that _was_ the case, I will do my best to make sure your 'little birdie' never chirps again."

The red-head smiled sweetly.

Shiro grinned manically in return.

"Woow…" Suddenly, those gold-on-black eyes were only centimetres from his. "You're surprisingly sadistic for such a pretty face."

The red-head's eyes narrowed. "Pretty face?" he muttered, before sighing. "Ah, I give up." As he spoke, his palm pushed against the other's cheek, shoving the albino back.

"But I wash being sewious…!" Shiro spoke through his flattened cheek, head facing to the side as Ichigo continued to keep him at arms length.

The red-head only rolled his eyes.

"Hm… but anyway, Ichi…," the albino pulled his face away, raising a hand and wrapping his long fingers around the other's elevated wrist.

Eyelids lowering seductively, Shiro pressed his lips softly to the other's palm. "Shouldn't you be a little more careful around me…?" he whispered, voice lowering.

A tongue slid out, licking along the red-head's hand… at about the same time that Ichigo's knee connected with the albino's groin.

The male toppled to the ground, cupping his burning crotch as he cried out in pain. "Fuck!"

The other only stared on, a weary expression on his face as he shook his head. "You just never learn, do you?"

"I-Ichi…," Shiro turned over onto his back, still moaning in pain.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Oh suck it up, Snowflake," he muttered.

The albino could only groan loudly in reply.

~( ^_^ )~

"So did you get all that Ichigo?"

The green-haired female smile at him, the red-head nodding in return as he filed the last of the papers. "Yeah, it makes sense now. Thanks, Nel."

"No problems!" she beamed. "You're such a good student, anyway."

As the male stood, pulling his bag onto his shoulders, Nel gestured towards the lifts, continuously pattering about something or the other.

They stepped into the lift when it arrived, heading towards the lobby. "So tomorrow you'll be heading back to Grimmjow!" _That_ caught Ichigo's attention.

"Already?" He frowned.

The green-haired woman blinked. "Yes… is something the matter?"

The red-head's expression darkened further. "No… it's nothing."

The female's green eyebrows knotted together across the elevator.

_What is going on with him today?_

After the moody start to the day, Ichigo's demeanour had improved, but every once in a while he would space out for a moment, before shaking his head and returning to work, albeit a little more distracted. There was something wrong. That much was obvious.

_Could it be… something to do with…_

The corners of her lips turned downwards.

"Nel?" Ichigo asked, slightly bewildered at her sudden change in attitude.

The elevator doors slide open, and the green-haired female forced a smile onto her face. "You go ahead first, Ichigo-kun. I forgot… _something_."

The red-head nodded warily, stepping through the threshold.

Though, as he turned his head, readying his farewell, he caught sight of her expression, the grin now dropped.

What he saw made a shiver run down his spine.

He hadn't known that the always-happy Nel could even produce such an expression, but it appeared that he had been proven wrong. The look on the female's face was of such livid anger that he could almost_ feel_ it.

The doors closed before he could look for much longer. Laughing nervously, he let out a shaky whistle. "Whew."

_Whoever that is for, they are so utterly screwed._

~( ^_^ )~

"Grimmjow Jeagerjacques!"

The male looked up from his desk, blue eyebrow raised in response to the shrill shout. "…What?"

A hand slammed down onto the wooden surface. "Don't 'what' me!"

"Honestly…," the bluenette leaned back, gazing uninterestedly up at incensed green eyes.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Nel cried, "Be. Nicer. To. Others!"

_Others…?_

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'Oh'!" the green-haired woman hissed. "What the hell did you do this time?"

A deep frown formed on Grimmjow's face. "…I didn't do anything…not really…"

Nel let out a sound of frustration. "Ugh! You are such an idiot, Grimm!"

The bluenette began to rise from his seat in argument. "It wasn't completely my fault!" he growled. "Anyway, who are you to tell me what to do?"

The other grit her teeth, vein throbbing on her forehead. "Who am I, huh…," she muttered, eyes shadowed and lip twitching in annoyance. "Oh, I don't know… what about your _big sister_, huh?"

Nel reached across the desk, and before he knew it, the bluenette was being pulled across the span of wood, crying out in protest as his ear was tugged painfully.

"I am _so_ sick of you! After all this time, you still continue to act like a spoilt brat!" she shouted, tugging harder at his throbbing earlobe with every word. "_Every. Time._ I have to console some poor crying girl or find a replacement just because _you_ can't keep it in your pants for just _one week_!"

Grimmjow cried out, scrabbling at her wrist with his hands. "Stop it, dammit Nel! You're ripping my ear off!"

"I don't fucking care!" his sister screamed in reply. Breathing hard for a moment, she suddenly relaxed, shoulders sagging. "…I actually like Ichigo. He's a good kid."

The bluenette's eyes widened slightly, before lowering into a dejected expression. "Yeah. He is."

"…Then why aren't you being more careful with him?" she said, voice soft. "At first when you asked for him to work directly under you I was a worried, but I gave it a shot. 'Coz I thought that maybe he would be different."

Grimmjow sighed, but stayed silent.

Gazing down at her brother, Nel's lips pressed into a thin line. "So is it? Has anything changed?" she murmured. "…or will you break him until he runs…like all the others?"

The green-haired female turned around, walking towards the double doors noiselessly. "I don't know what happened Grimm. And honestly? I don't care," she muttered. "All I know is that I really like him."

She turned her head towards her younger brother.

"…and I know you will too."

~( ^_^ )~

Ichigo leaned against the bus-stop post, arms crossed as he closed his eyes, frown warning off others who passed.

Sadly though, his small moment of peace and quiet didn't last. An obnoxiously loud high-class car raced down the street, its shiny veneer glinting boldly in the sun.

A brown eye slid open as the vehicle came to a stop beside him, its black-tinted window scrolling down. "Yo, Ichi!"

_Oh God. _He mentally face-palmed.

The red-head rolled his eye, before closing it once more, paying to attention to the albino waving at him from within the expensive car.

"Are ya waiting for the bus?"

_Nooo, of __course__ not. _Wow. Shirosaki really did bring out the sarcastic side in him.

The red-head remained coldly soundless.

"Aww, c'mon. I was just asking a question…" He could just imagine the childish pout on the other's handsome face.

Ichigo sighed. "Leave me alone, Shirosaki."

"Well, how about I give you a ride home instead?" the albino offered.

The red-head's eyes peeked open. "…And why exactly should I accept?"

Shiro smirked. "'Coz then you can take a ride in this beauty," he said, hand lovingly petting his car.

"Tempting, but…no." Ichigo shook his head. "I'd rather _not_ have you knowing where I live."

The albino grinned suggestively. "Ah, but where will I go when you're moaning in my arms and begging me to take you home…?" he purred, eyebrows making some sort of obscene gesture.

The red-head stared blankly at the perversely grinning male. "You're just _asking_ for a repeat of earlier, aren't you?" he dead-panned, before turning around.

"No, no, wait, Ichi!"

"What?" Ichigo tapped his foot impatiently, arms crossed.

"Please?" the albino begged.

The red-head stared at the other.

"I promise to behave…"

It appeared that Shiro did a very good impersonation of Puss In Boots.

_Ah, what the hell._

"Alright," he said, stalking around the front of the car and tugging open the passenger door.

"Really?" Now he was like an excited puppy.

Ichigo couldn't help but laugh internally. _He was such a brat._

He stepped into the vehicle, falling unceremoniously onto the passenger seat.

"…You are such a kid."

The albino smiled widely. "I know."

~( ^_^ )~

Within the now almost-empty lobby of Pantera Inc. stood a very confused, highly pissed off male.

_What. The. Fuck._

Grimmjow's cerulean eyes narrowed to slits, the hand gripping his briefcase white-knuckled.

_What the hell did that idiot snowflake just __do__?_

The bluentte grit his teeth.

_Ichigo._

****o_o This is a record, even for me. TEN different scenes in one chappy. Wooow... that's a lot of time-jumping. But yeah, that's how I write, so I hope it wasn't too annoying how short each scene was.****

**Ah, I'm so sorry, Shiro dear, but you are just so cuuuute~! Kyaaa~. I love this cheeky, childish side of Shiro; but it's not very often the case in fanfics (with him being either insane or a sadistic vampire and what-not), which is a shame, 'coz he's just so fun. ^.^**

**Yup, no smut in this one, nor any sexual tension (wow, that's the first time throughout this entire fic o.0); just a little drama, feelings, yadi-yadi-ya... Naw, I'm just upset 'coz I always suck at writing it.**

**I'm not as confident in this chappy (I almost never am, but it's worse this time); feels like there's something missing...anyone care to tell me?**

**Next chappy will have more drama~! And it will finally be from Grimm-chan's perspective. **


End file.
